The Unexpected Can Be a Good Thing
by bluepixy13
Summary: Right after her trip through the Labyrinth, a being shows up in Sarah's bedroom to give her the reward due her for winning the challenge of the maze. Now she must live in the Underground, getting by on her own, but perhaps not alone forever. Eventual Jareth/Sarah
1. A New Life

**A.N. -** So I've read a few stories lately where Jareth is banished or exiled to our world for losing against Sarah, which got me to wondering. What if Sarah had to go back to the Labyrinth for winning? The idea wouldn't leave me alone, despite the knowledge that I still have other stories to continue and finish, so I figured I'd at least see if anyone likes it.

A New Life

Sarah Williams took a deep breath of relief. Everything was back to normal, or as normal as it could be after adventuring in a fantasy land for ten hours. She went to bed wondering if her life would go back to boring or if there would still be some lingering magic. Would she be able to call on her friends from the Underground again? Would Toby remember anything? Would she ever see the Goblin King again? She jerked herself out of that train of thought quickly. Why on earth would she want to see him again anyway? He was an arrogant, self-serving, annoyingly handsome...wait, handsome? _Yes_ , her mind supplied, _you know he was. Otherwise you wouldn't have been so tempted to stay with him._

"Ugh, just shut up already," she growled at herself.

"Having an argument with one's self is more productive than one could imagine," came a masculine voice, stemming from near her window.

Sarah spun around, startled, even though she knew the voice didn't belong to the man currently running through her mind. No, the man, if that's what he was, had mottled skin of varying colors, mostly browns, greens and greys, hazel eyes, and short, spiked brown hair. His clothes were comprised of beige trousers, a white linen shirt, and a chocolate colored jacket. He wore no shoes and his feet seemed to be dusted with dirt. "Who are you?" Sarah finally managed to ask.

"I've forgotten my true name, it's been almost a millenium since I had a proper one, but you can call me Labyrinth."

Confusion spread over Sarah's face. "I don't understand."

"I know there wasn't time for the King to explain, so I'll give you the short version. Once upon a time, there was a young man who, through his own actions, was cursed with being tied to a land. His job was to serve under the ruler of the land and to oversee the caring of the land. Over much time, the man and the land became as one, bending to the will of whoever the current ruler might be, though because the land was its own nature, it could decide to help or hinder in certain ways if necessary. My existence has always been to thwart those who would seek to obtain that which they willingly wished away. I've never failed in my task, until you, but you have triumphed where all before have not. And since you've won, I'm here to give you your reward."

"Reward?" Sarah asked. "I thought getting my brother back was the reward."

A gleam entered the Labyrinth's eyes as he said, "No, that was merely the task you had to complete in order to win. Your true reward is that you'll be able to come live in the Underground forever."

"What?! How could I possibly do that? You're asking me to just skip off to the Underground to live indefinitely, and leave my family behind. I had to turn down much the very same thing from your King, so what makes you think I'll accept it now?"

A spark of interest entered the being's voice when he remarked, "So, you _were_ considering the offer. I'd wondered."

A flush spread over Sarah as she sputtered, "Wha-what I did or did not consider doesn't matter now!"

"Actually, it does very much matter, but that can wait. The problem is, if you refuse your reward, your time Above will be limited."

"What do you mean?"

Labyrinth sighed. "When you went to the Underground, your body immediately started taking in some of the magic of the land. Now, if you had lost, it would have been an easy fix, I could have taken away all traces of magic, and you wouldn't have remembered your little trip at all. But you got so far along, that I had to start taking measures, and basically forced the King's hand into that little trick with the peach. I'll admit that that was a mistake. I thought that by eating the fruit, you would lose. You proved far more resistant to the magic than I'd anticipated, however, and broke free of the dream state. Unfortunately, by eating that fruit, you also became permanently tied to the Underground. If you stay too long Aboveground, you will die."

Sarah gasped, tears beginning to fall. "How could you?"

"I know, and I feel just awful about it. If it's any consolation, the King wished to warn you about it, but I forbade him from doing so."

"Why would he care?"

"Nothing and no one is as it seems down there, Sarah. You should have learned that by now."

Deciding to set aside that particular conundrum for the moment, Sarah focused on the more pressing problem. "So, I have no choice then. Where will I live once I'm down there?"

"The goblin city is larger than you envisioned it. I will make arrangements for a house and there are many ways to make a living there."

"When do I have to leave?"

"I'm afraid you'll need to go by the morning."

"And my family?"

"They won't remember you. I'm truly sorry, but it's far easier on them that way."

"What about the King? Won't he be upset by my presence in his land?"

"If you don't wish him to know you're there, I have no right to tell him. However, you will eventually run into him, simply because it is his land, as you say."

"You didn't answer my question," Sarah commented wryly.

"That's because I don't know how he will react upon seeing you again."

"Alright then. I suppose it's ironic, because for a while now I've felt as if I don't belong here, and now I really don't. Let me say goodbye, at least?"

"Of course, though I would advise against letting them know you're saying goodbye."

After Sarah had looked at her family one last time, mentally telling them goodbye, she went back to her bedroom, where Labyrinth was waiting. "I'm ready," she stated.

"Good. Now don't worry, I'm going to help you get adjusted as much as I can."

Before Sarah could blink her eyes, she was standing in a section of the Goblin City she'd never seen before. This area looked much cleaner than the one she'd encountered during her run. The goblins that were milling about looked at her in question, but didn't try to approach her. The Labyrinth turned to her, "I know what you're thinking. The area you saw when you were trying to reach the castle is made specifically for the purpose of the runners, though no one but you has seen it in a very long while."

"I thought you said that I'm the first who's won."

"Yes, but there have been a few challengers who have reached the Goblin City, before the current King's reign."

"How long has Ja-, I mean the current Goblin King been ruling?"

"You remember his name, even though Hoggle only told it to you once?"

Another blush spread over her cheeks. "Well, it's a hard name to forget. Heck, he's a hard whatever kind of being to forget, period."

Labyrinth studied her from the corner of his eyes. The girl was young, but she couldn't hide the fact that she had affections for the King. Perhaps with time... _Yes, this could still work out after all_ , he thought. Out loud he informed her, "Fae, he's a fae. A most atypical one, though, I must admit."

Sarah huffed and changed the subject. "So where is this house you promised?"

A grin that said he wasn't fooled crossed his face, but he simply replied, "Right this way."

She was struck by the fact that the city looked very much like a goblin's version of a human city, but without the technology. There were houses stacked on top of each other, much like apartments or condos, and there was a large town square where vendors of all sorts had set up. There was clothing, crafts, jewelry, strange contraptions, and food. The food even smelled delicious, reminding Sarah how hungry she was. Her stomach growled at a particularly savory scent.

"Are you needing sustanance?" Her guide asked.

"Geez, you talk even more old fashioned than he does. But yeah, I haven't eaten anything since lunch time in the Above. I don't have any money, though."

"Every new citizen is given a small start up fund, by the King's orders. He doesn't expect outsiders to have anything. However, he does expect that they use what they are given wisely. I would suggest selling items of your own make at the Goblin Market here. That's how most thrive. Creatures and different beings from all around come here to buy. I'll show you where your coins are when we get to your house, but for now, I'll buy you something to eat. It's the least I can do for the predicament I've put you in."

"Thank you. That dish smells good, whatever it is."

Labyrinth gave the small goblin the necessary coins to purchase the dish, which was a steaming bowl of meat and rice, smelling of spices Sarah had never encountered before. "I believe this is chicken. Chicken is the goblins' choice of meat, being hardy and easy to raise."

Sarah laughed and when he looked at her askance, she shook her head and explained. "I'm here in this magical land, and eating chicken. I was expecting something more exotic."

"Sorry to disappoint you. There are a few strange meats that occasionally pass through, but we have much the same food as the Above does. Beef and pork are usually found in the farmlands or in the other kingdoms, and fish are rare and pricy. If you want to try your luck hunting, though, the forest is to the West a few miles away."

The way he said that gave Sarah the impression that he didn't believe she knew how to hunt. She smirked to herself. Little did he know that, before Toby came along, she and her dad used to go hunting all the time. He'd taught her how to use both a gun and a bow and thankfully she'd been better with the bow because she doubted that guns existed in the Underground. Her thoughts about possibly going into the woods to hunt were put to the side when she spotted the house that Labyrinth pointed out to her. It was the same type of structure that composed the rest of the houses in the city, but the door was taller. It appeared to be on the ground floor, with more structure and windows on top of it, as well as others just like it on both sides. "So are there goblins living above me?" Sarah wondered.

Labyrinth laughed. "No, this is one house, with three different levels. And there are no goblins in the immediate vicinity, this is the dwarf and halfling district. They're less noisy than goblins and I figured that you would appreciate that."

"That's for sure. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Why don't you go in and have a look around?"

She nodded and went to open the door, but then asked, "Do I need a key?"

"Locks are unneccessary around here, except for your safe where I would suggest you keep your coins. There isn't crime around here, but sometimes a goblin will get in and take things. They're like small children in that they don't always know right from wrong. But the King takes care of any missing items should that occur, and punishes the offenders."

"Does he Bog them?"

"Goodness, no! Bogging is only for the most heinous of crimes, if perpetrated. He would never have actually let you fall into that mire."

"Could've fooled me," Sarah muttered. The King and his motives, whatever they were, went to the back of her mind as she took a look at her new home. It was a lot cleaner than she expected it to be. The house itself was made of stone and clay, but she could tell it was made with care. There were wooden furnishings, such as a table with chairs, shelving, and a counter in what looked to be the kitchen area. There was a comfortable looking couch in the living room, she noted with relief. When she went into the kitchen, she could see a plain ceramic sink and in one corner was an old-fashioned ice box. She dreaded to find out what was waiting for her in the bathroom. The second story led to a loft and a room which she determined was for business as there was a desk and chair, more shelves, as well as a stone safe against the wall.

"Here's the key to the safe," Labyrinth told her, handing her a key that resembled those antique ones you could buy in a thrift shop.

She opened the safe, curious as to what it would have inside. There was a woven sack which jingled when she picked it up. She was shocked when she saw the amount of coins inside. Coins of all kinds were mingled together, of various shapes, sizes and metals. "How much is in here, exactly?"

"Enough to get by for a while, if you're clever enough, and I have a feeling that you are."

"Surely the goblins don't get this much to start off with."

"No, only the more intelligent beings get this amount. The mindset of goblins are too immature to be able to handle too many coins."

"Am I the only human?"

"In the King's land, yes. But there are other lands throughout the Underground where mortals sometimes end up."

Sarah put back the money, locking the safe. Then she headed up to the third level of the house. Here was the bedroom. It was quaint but when she caught sight of the bathroom, which had an actual toilet and shower, she grinned. "So there is indoor plumbing, but not a refrigerator?"

"Electricity isn't a necessity here, but there are some mortal modern conveniences which the King insisted upon."

"Thank goodness for that."

"Well, I must be going. If I stay for too long, the King might begin to wonder where I am and he likes to discuss the days events with me."

"What will you tell him of me?"

"Just that there is a new citizen living in the dwarven district. He won't ask questions if you don't cause any trouble. Like I said earlier, though, he'll eventually see you, so be prepared for that. Again, I am sorry that you had to leave your family and come here, but I don't believe my King would have forgiven me should you have died."

"I...am upset, but not as much as I thought I would be. If I'm being honest with myself, I've known for quite some time that it was time for me to grow up, and that I didn't have a place with my family anymore. Thank you for coming to me and telling me the truth. Will I see you again?"

Labyrinth smiled. "I'll come and visit occasionally. Goodbye, and good luck, Sarah Williams."

"Goodbye for now." And as he strode off into the city, she wondered what her new life held in store for her.


	2. The Goblin Market

**A.N.** \- Well, the second chapter of this story is finally here, and sorry folks, but Jareth hasn't shown up yet. There's a lot of talking and groundwork I'm laying down here so that the story can move forward, so I hope it's not too boring. Now the question is, do you all want me to continue with Sarah getting used to living life in the Underground, or do you want me to jump forward in time a bit? Either way is fine with me, but I want to know what my readers would prefer. Thanks for the follows and feedback!

The Goblin Market

Sarah stood in the living area of her new home, trying to absorb it all in. Finally, her stomach growled slightly and she sighed. "Well, I'd better go buy some food," she muttered. She spotted a canvas bag with handles and grabbed that to put purchased food in, then headed out to the market. Once there, she quickly realized that Labyrinth was right about the lack of variety in meat. "Looks like chicken is on the menu for a while, though I'll have to figure out how to transport larger amounts of food to stock up in my freezer." She picked out some vegetables, what looked like red carrots, purple broccoli, and potatoes that were completely brown. She snagged some flour, blueberries (or at least they looked like blueberries), some spices which she was familiar with, eggs, and both goat milk and butter. Finally, she grabbed a whole chicken, as well as some chicken sausages. She nodded to herself. Now she had dinner and breakfast.

As she was grabbing some utensils, a few dishes, and a couple pans, she had an idea. She asked the goblin vendor, "How much is it to rent a space here at the market?"

The goblin answered, "Ten gold coins a season. You can buy the space from the Head of the Market. His booth is by the main gate."

Sarah thanked the vendor and walked towards the gate. As she approached, she saw that the Head of the Market was familiar to her and gasped in surprise. "Hoggle?" she asked.

The dwarf glanced up, whereupon his eyes went wide. "Sarah! What are ya doing here?"

She shrugged and replied with a small smile, "I live here now."

"What, but why?!"

"I had no choice. If I'd stayed in the Above, I would have died soon."

Color drained from Hoggle's face as he whispered in realization, "The peach." Suddenly anger contorted his features. "That rat! Wait'll I give him a piece of my mind!"

"Hoggle, it's ok. Besides, it's not his fault, he was basically forced to give me that by the Labyrinth."

Now Hoggle's eyebrows raised up to his hair. "The Labyrinth is responsible?" He tapped his finger on his chin, then nodded, "Yeah, I forgot that the Labyrinth is a sentient being, and that he's responsible for making sure the runners don't win. Of course, that's His Majesty's job too, so not sure how you having to be here isn't his doing as well."  
"Maybe it is, but in that case, it's also my doing. I'm the one who made the wish." With sudden clarity, Sarah realized this was true. She had wished her brother away, and the Goblin King had taken him away at her request. She'd been so sure that the king was the villain of the story and she the heroine. Now, she began to understand that it wasn't so black and white.

Hoggle placed a gnarled hand on her arm. "You're young, Sarah, and you couldn't know that the wish would come true."

She gave him a grateful smile, but she had more pressing things to worry about than past mistakes. "So I need to rent a space at the market."

"What will you be selling?"

"I want to cook food and sell it. It seems that all you have to eat in this land is chicken, but I'd like to try and get some different meats to cook as well."

"You can cook?"

Sarah laughed, "Yeah, it's one of the few things I remember doing with my mother. After that, it was something I did to help calm me when I was upset. Karen won't admit it, but she asks for my help making every holiday meal. Then she takes the credit. Couldn't be outshown by her teenage stepdaughter." This last was said with a sarcastic bite and a roll of the eyes, but no bitterness. "I guess I won't have to worry about trying to please my parents any more," she finally said, in soft tones.

"Do you miss them?" Hoggle asked gently.

"Of course I do, and I don't know if I'll ever not miss them, but knowing that they won't be suffering from my absence makes it easier to bear."

"So you want to rent a booth," the dwarf said, trying to help by changing the topic, and she grinned. "Normally that's ten gold coins per season, but I could cut you a discount."

"No, I don't want any advantages that others don't get. What season are we in now?"

"It's the end of Samhradh, er sorry, that would be Summer in the Above."

"I don't get it, how does the Underground have seasons, but time still means nothing? Does anyone age here?"

"That's a long and complicated tale, missy, and I'm more than happy to come over to your place and tell you all about it when I get off work."

Sarah smiled, saying, "Alright, I'd love to catch up with you too." She finished paying for the seasonal rent, then told Hoggle to come over when he could and she'd have dinner ready. Sarah finished up her shopping by grabbing a couple of plates, forks, and knives. She definitely needed to figure out how to get a whole household of items in as few trips as possible. As it was, her bags were quite heavy and she was glad when she entered her house and was able to put everything down. It took about twenty minutes to put her things away. After that, she began on dinner since it was already sunset.

After a few hours, when dark had fully settled, there was a knock at her door. Sarah smiled as she let Hoggle enter. He handed her a rough ceramic vase with flowers in it. "I thought you could use it for your new place," he said, obviously embarrassed that he didn't have anything fancier.

"Thank you, Hoggle! It'll fit perfectly on the table." Hoggle perked up at that and Sarah grinned to herself.

"So what are we having?" the dwarf asked.

"Rosemary chicken and seasoned vegetables. I should have grabbed a lemon when I was at the market, but I think dinner came out alright regardless."

"Well it sure smells good," Hoggle commented as Sarah passed him a plate. After his host sat down and took a bite, he tentatively took one of his own. His eyes went wide and then he started to dig in furiously, as if he were starved.

Sarah chuckled. "Slow down, I have some more. You're going to give yourself a stomach ache!"

"This food is delicious, you'll make a killing at the market!"

Sarah blushed in pride. "Well, it would help if there were other meats I could buy as easily as chicken. I've been told that if I want to have anything else, I'll have to hunt in the forest."

Hoggle stopped eating long enough to fix her with a serious look. "The forest ain't no joke, though, it can be dangerous." He thought about warning his friend from going in there, but this was Sarah. If she was determined to go in the forest, she'd go. He sighed. "If you want to hunt in the forest, I'd highly recommend that you get a big hunting dog."

"But where would I put one? I mean, this is a nice house and all, but I didn't see any room to have a large dog."

"Did you even see the back yard?"

"Oh, uh no, I didn't know there was a back yard. Well then, where can I get a dog?"

"There's a livestock market that sets up every other day at the Western edge of the city. There are all kinds of animals there, including dogs."

"If there are other animals you can buy, why is there only chicken to eat?"

"You've seen the city, right? Not a whole lot of room for a bunch of livestock to roam. Chickens are small and manageable, and there's every breed you can think of. Some are for meat, and some are for egg laying. Other animals are too expensive for the average goblin to buy as well. The King will purchase other meats to have cooked on special occasions, but that's about it."

"Alright. So I have another dilemma, and that's how I can carry large amounts of items at the same time. I want to stock up on food for the rest of the month, but I only have two arms."

"That's easy enough, you can rent a cart for a day. I'll hook up a small pony to it and you can return it to me."

"I thought you said that there's no livestock in the city."

"A pony ain't big enough to count as livestock, and there's only one. No one rents carts on a regular enough basis to warrent getting more."

As dinner wound down, Sarah figured it was time to ask the more serious questions. "So, what's that time thing you were talking about?"

"I'll give you the short version. Basically, time doesn't work the same way here as it does in the mortal world. We have seasons, days, months, but they don't last the same amount of time. I've never been educated enough in the details to know what the differences are, sorry. Everyone in the Underground grows up to a certain point, then, depending on your race, you either grow old or you don't."

"Can you give me a break down on the races?"

"Sure. Let's see. Well, goblins, dwarves, halflings, orcs, and trolls grow old. We live long, long lives, though. Centuries can go by before we pass on."

Sarah froze at that. "How old are _you_?"

Hoggle waved dismissively, saying, "Bah, I'm young by dwarf standards. Don't you worry about me, missy, I'll be around for a long while yet." She sighed in relief and he continued. "Some of the other races, I'm not sure of, since I've never known any, and I'm not sure about the creatures of the forest or other animals either, though from what I have seen, they live typical lives. Now we get to the immortals. Fae, fairies, pixies, elves and merfolk all fall into that category."

"What's the difference between Fae and fairies?

"Fairies are the little pests you encountered when you met me. Fae are beings like our King. They're the ones in charge down here, for the most part, since most have magic at their disposal."

"What about me? I don't fall into any of the categories."

Hoggle knew the question she was really asking and was quick to reassure her. "Don't worry, Sarah, you'll age for a time, but once you hit maturity, you won't age any more. The few mortals which find themselves down here are lucky. The magic permeating this land changes them so that they're basically Fae without the use of powers." She was so wrapped up in mulling over the information he'd given her, that she almost missed what he said next. "Of course, a mortal would become a full Fae, magic and everything, if they married a Fae of royal bloodline."

"Why only in that circumstance?"

"The land protects itself as best it can. It wouldn't do to have a monarch without magic to help defend the land."

Sarah pursed her lips, wondering if she should ask the question that was formost on her mind. _Well, why not? Either Hoggle will answer, or he won't. And as much as I'd rather not admit it, I really want to know if any of what_ he _said was real._ "Did he really want to marry me?"

Hoggle choked on his drink as his eyes bugged out. After a moment, though, he collected himself. "I'm afraid so. At first, I didn't understand the fascination. But then, as I got to know you, I began to see why he was particularly taken with you."

"But I'm so young!" she blurted out. "How could he have thought himself in love with me when he barely knew me?"

A guilty look came over the dwarf and Sarah could tell that she wouldn't like what he was going to say next. "He's known you for far longer than you think." She waited while he gathered his courage to explain. "When you were born, there was a spark of magic inside of you. It was a small amount, not enough to be of any use to you, but enough to get the attention of the higher magical beings in the Underground. There were many who wanted to use you as their apprentice or even as a trophy, but the Goblin King didn't want to see that happen to an innocent babe. It is his job to protect the unwanted and misfit children of the Above, so he had to stake a claim on you quickly in order to prevent any harm that might befall you. He wove a spell which put you in his care, so to speak, until such time that you were old enough to call upon him yourself. At that time, you could either renounce all magic and live a mortal life, or you could accept the magic and live in the Labyrinth as his subject. But then, as he watched over you through the years, he began to have feelings for you. You see, age means nothing to a Fae when they think they've met their mate. He knew that no matter your year, he could have waited and taught you what you would need to know when you became old enough to wed him. And that's when the Labyrinth informed him that there were rules which he would have to abide by in order to woo you. You would need to be given the challenge of running the maze. If you won and denied the King, you could live the rest of your life in peace. If you lost by accepting the King, you would be his bride."

It was a lot to process, but Sarah thought she was finally understanding why everything had happened as it had. "So, basically, I won my freedom, but lost the ability to spend that freedom Aboveground."

"More or less."

"How do you know all of this anyway?"

"I wasn't really the gardner, Sarah. I was his advisor. After you won, I thought it best to step down from that post. I thought he would kick me out and make me live somewhere else, but all he did was ask, since I no longer wished to be advisor, if I would like to be the Head of Market. His former Head of Market wasn't up to snuff."

"So how is he doing?"

Hoggle eyed her, asking, "Why do you care?"

"Well... I mean, after everything you've told me, it's kind of hard to see him as this archtypical villain who stole Toby. To tell the truth, I really never thought he was truly a villain. Maybe, if things had been different, we could have become friends, maybe more if I'd gotten to know the real man behind the mask."

"Hmmph. Well I for one am glad ya won and for now, you're not having to deal with him."

"No, but sooner or later I will. I'm hoping that, when it happens, that we can be ourselves since there won't be any stipulations on our interactions with each other." Sarah decided at that point to ask a question that would take Hoggle's mind off her possible desire to talk to the King. "How are Sir Didymus and Ludo?"

"They're fine. Ludo went to visit family in the mountains, but he should be back in about a week. Sir Didymus is back to guarding the Bog."

"Well perhaps when Ludo gets back we can all get together again. I still have a lot to do in order to settle in, so a week would give me enough time to get my new house in order. You look exhausted, Hoggle, you should go home and sleep."

"Yeah. With the long night celebrating at your house, then going to work early today, I am beat. Goodnight, Sarah. If you have any more questions or issues, you know where to find me. Oh, and I'd recommend stocking up on firewood before Autumn and Winter hit. It gets really cold, and wood's not cheap then."

"Thanks Hoggle, for everything." They hugged goodbye, then the dwarf walked out the door to go home. "Well," she said to herself, "it looks like I have my work cut out for me."

The next day came and Sarah made a breakfast of berry pancakes, eggs, and sausage. Knowing that she'd have to see Hoggle first about the cart, she wrapped some pancakes and sausage in some paper and headed out after she was done eating and cleaning up. The dwarf looked more refreshed than he had the night before and he was overjoyed at the food she'd brought him. She blinked when he brought out the diminutive pony and hooked it up to the cart. It was about the size of a large dog and she couldn't help but think that very rich humans would go crazy for such a creature. She then braved the crowd to do her shopping. Hours later, with a cart full, she finally made it home to unload after making herself a quick lunch. She brought the cart back to Hoggle, but she didn't get the chance to make small talk, since he was busy with other customers. It still surprised her how populated the Goblin Market could get. Today, since she had needed to buy other items besides food, she had gotten to see the vast array of wares, and that the market extended further than she had thought. She headed to the Western side of the city and she could hear the animals before she saw them. She turned a corner and the city abruptly thinned out, and she caught glimpses of the Labyrinth beyond the open land, with a few houses scattered in between. There were animals she was familiar with, and others she wasn't, but she wandered around until she found the dogs. She immediately noticed that small dogs weren't a thing in the Underground, at least from the variety that was available for sale. The smallest dog she spotted seemed to be a type of terrier. It made sense, though, from what Hoggle had told her. Goblins weren't the type to be able to care after a more intelligent animal, and so the only dogs would be ones which would be good on a farm, or for those who hunted. She skimmed over the assortment of dogs. There were labradors, retrievers, setters, terriers, and hound dogs. All would be good hunting dogs, but only for certain types of game. Then, she saw it. It was standing apart from the other dogs, in the back, as if their company were below it's station. An Italian Mastiff, otherwise known as a Cane Corso, with sleek dark, mottled fur, and cropped ears and tale. _How on earth did this specimen get to be in the selection?_ Sarah wondered. This was a dog meant for royalty, not general farming.

"Excuse me," she said, approaching the vendor, who happened to be a halfling.

"Aye, are ye lookin' fer a dog?" he asked.

"Yes, and I was wondering about your mastiff there."

"Oh, ye be talkin' about Leonardo. He's a fiesty one, he is. Last owner couldn't handle him."

"Do you think I could try?"

The halfling laughed, "Oh yeah, for sure, ye can try. Just don't say I didn't warn ye."

Sarah walked up to Leonardo calmly, as he regarded her with suspicion. When she was a few feet away, she squatted down to his level. "Hello, Leonardo, or should I call you Leo?" She could have sworn the dog hurumphed at that. "Alright, you prefer the longer name, got it. Listen, I need a really good hunting dog and I'm sure you're the best there is at hunting, am I right?" A gruff woof answered her and she began to wonder just how intelligent this dog was. "Alright, so if you'd like, you can be my hunting dog and in return, I'll give you the run of my house, as long as you don't wreck anything, and the best tidbits from the kills we'll make. Is that a deal?" Leonardo perked up at this and gave her some more woofs, his tail wagging. She smiled and turned to the halfling. "Alright, I'll take him."

The halfling stood there gobsmacked as Leonardo walked up to Sarah and stood next to her. He finally snapped back and answered, "Yeah, go ahead, he'll be twenty gold coins."

Sarah supposed she could have haggled the price, but she just couldn't wait to take her new friend home and handed the halfling his money. On the way home, she stopped by the market again to buy a huge dogbed, a thick collar, some shampoo and conditioner, and some fresh chicken livers. Once home, she turned to Leonardo and said, "Alright, so here we are, this is home. Anyone that I invite in is a friend, anyone I don't invite in you can feel free to chase out, okay?" An enthusiastic woof was his response, so she hoped that meant he understood. She cooked up the chicken livers then set them aside in a bowl. While she got the rest of dinner ready, she would occasionally toss a liver to her dog. Tomorrow, she was going to tackle the forest and she needed to have a plan. Getting lost in said forest was not an option, so she wouldn't go in very far. Well, she'd just have to wait until tomorrow to see how everything unfolded. She spent the rest of the evening reading a book she purchased and petting Leonardo, who pretended he didn't enjoy the attention.


	3. Adjustment

**A.N.-** Alright, so this is chapter is a bit shorter, and for that I apologize. I haven't had a huge amount of time lately, but I wanted to get this out at least. I hope that it's enjoyable in any case, and thank you to everyone who has followed and reviewed so far!

Adjustment

The next day saw Sarah getting up early. She made herself some tea, but no breakfast, since she wasn't hungry yet. She did throw some dried meats, dried fruits, and some nuts into a sack, along with a canteen full of water. "I sure do miss having some modern accessories, like plastic water bottles," she said wistfully to Leonardo, who sat at her feet. She supposed he was wanting some treats, so she tossed him a few dog biscuits she'd bought yesterday with the rest of his supplies. Just before she was about to head out, a knock sounded at the door. "Hmm, I wonder who that could be? Hoggle should be at work by now."

She was surprised to find Labyrinth standing there. "Hello, Sarah," he greeted. "I just came by to check and see how you were fairing so far."

"Oh, thanks for stopping by. I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon. I'm fine, I've been adjusting. There are some things from back home that I wish I had here, but for the most part, I'm enjoying my independence."

"That's good to hear. And who might this be?" he asked, pointing to Leonardo.

"This is Leonardo, I got him yesterday. He's going to help me in the forest today."

"Ah, so you've decided to try your luck. Let me give you a piece of advice. There is a creek which runs through the market. If you follow it into the wood, stick to it's banks. Then all you have to do is follow it back the way you came when you're done."

"Thank you, that's extremely helpful," she smiled.

"Not to worry, I would hate to see the Champion get lost in the woods. Oh, and you might need this," he added as he reached to the side of her house, producing a long, beautifully crafted wooden bow along with a quiver of arrows.

Sarah blinked in surprise. "Are you sure? I mean, aren't I supposed to buy my own things now?"

Labyrinth laughed, "Yes, but that doesn't mean I can't bring you a welcoming gift."

"Again, thank you for everything!"

He shrugged, "It's the least I can do, considering the fact that you should have been able to continue your mortal life, instead of stuck here."

She smiled, "I'm actually enjoying myself so far. I know I'll miss everyone, but it's better this way."

"I'm glad you think of it that way. And who knows what the future holds," he remarked cryptically. "Well, I'd better be going. I'm sure we'll see each other again."

"Alright, bye." When he left, Sarah took up her gift and turned to Leonardo, saying, "Well, we'd better be going if we want to get any game today." Leonardo woofed, jumping around in excitement.

Labyrinth stepped through the elaborate wooden doors into the round room where goblins milled about, and a tall, lean, blonde figure lay lounged in a throne. Labyrinth ran his hands through his hair nervously as he announced himself, "You summoned me, Majesty?"

Jareth, King of the Goblins, eased up from his throne to stand in front of the being tied to his land. "Labyrinth, it's been some time since I've seen you. You are well known for seeking out the seclusion of your many groves and meadows. Yet, my citizens have reported to me that they've seen you roaming the city."

"Am I not allowed to walk through the streets? After all, the city and even your castle are all a part of the land I have the unfortunate circumstance of never being able to leave."

Jareth paced around the man, conjuring up a crystal ball to play with while he did so. "Indeed, you are more than welcome to wander wherever you wish. Who am I to stop you? So why the sudden interest in walking amongst the citizens, when even I haven't had audience with you in over a decade?"

"This is precisely why I decided to visit, your Majesty. I felt I'd become too much of a hermit of late, and was afraid that I would fade into memory if I didn't start-interacting more, I suppose."

"Hmmm..." Jareth seemed to ponder, then stopped short in front of the Labyrinth. Finally, he gave a mischievous grin. "Well, if that's the case, I certainly expect to see more of you. In fact, you have inspired me to go check on my citizens myself. I've been letting them have peace in the knowledge that they aren't harrassed by their ruler, but perhaps I'm being too impersonal. Yes, that settles it, I shall start daily inspections of my city, to make sure everything is running smoothly and to mingle with my people. Thank you, Labyrinth, you are dismissed. I'll see you around?"

Labyrinth had to contain his grimace as he replied, "You're welcome, Majesty. Of course you'll see me." _Damn, now what have I gotten myself into? Oh well, if he encounters Sarah, I did warn her that she would run into him eventually. Besides, this might not be a bad thing._ Feeling a bit better about the situation, he left.

Meanwhile, Jareth still paced, twirling the crystal in his hand. Yes, Labyrinth was up to something, that he was sure of. _And I'm in definite need of a diversion right now. Time to play another game,_ he smirked to himself.

Hours later found Sarah finally back at her house, dirty and grouchy. It had been harder to hunt than she'd thought it would be, with her experience, but to be fair to herself, it had been some years since her father had taken her. Still, she had managed to shoot down a couple of pheasants which Leonardo had scared out from some brush. She debated getting cleaned up, but then decided that she would first need to pluck the birds. This task took her another few hours, and by then it was completely dark. The feathers she had saved in a pile, which she figured she would use for either more arrows or perhaps decorations she could sell in the market. Once plucked, she placed the pheasants in her ice box, away from her other food. At that point, there was a knock on her door. She opened it to find Hoggle standing there.

"Sarah, you look like you got mauled by a dryad, what happened?"

"I went hunting today," she replied, opening her door further to let the dwarf in.

"Oh, did you have any luck?"

"Just two pheasants."

Leonardo immediately went up to investigate the new guest, snuffling. "Geez, did you get a dog or a horse?"

"This is Leonardo. Leonardo, this is Hoggle, he's a friend," she chuckled as Leonardo gave Hoggle a lick. "So what brings you by?"

A hurt expression crossed his face as he answered, "You said I could come by anytime."

"Oh, no, I didn't mean I didn't want you to come! I just wasn't expecting you to come so soon again. I thought you might have your own business to take care of, or that you might want to just relax instead of having to stay out late," she hastilly explained.

Relief spread over Hoggle's face. "Nah, I'm fine. And it's a good thing I came by too, since I see you haven't had time to fix anything to eat yet. I thought we could go out."

"Go out? There are restaurants here?"

Hoggle laughed, "We aren't so different from mortals, you know. Why don't you get cleaned up and we'll go?"

"Okay, sounds fun!"

The restaurant turned out to be more like a hole in the wall, a small space occupied by four tables. There also wasn't a huge selection of food to choose from, with all the meat in the dishes consisting of chicken. Still, the meal was delicious and satisfying. "I've been thinking that if I cook things other than chicken, I'll get plenty of customers," Sarah said.

"Well, the goblins don't really like anything except chicken, but there are plenty of other beings which will enjoy something different." He seemed to be playing with his food a bit, and Sarah caught on to this.

"Is there something on your mind?"

He sighed. "I admit, I mostly came by to warn you."

"Warn me? Of what?"

He fidgeted, answering, "The King came into the city today. He announced that he's going to come by daily to make sure he's providing for everyone's needs properly. So you might have to think about doing something else for money, if you don't want to run into him anytime soon."

Irritation shot through Sarah, and she puffed up slightly in response. "Nonsense! I'm a citizen of his lands now, and he has to treat me as such. I'm going to have to deal with him sooner or later, and I'll not run away from him now."

"I know. I just didn't want you to have to face him so soon."

"Don't worry about me, Hoggle, I'll be fine. I'm sure that His Majesty will be more reasonable since he won't be having to thwart me from winning his challenge." They ate the rest of their dinner, then parted ways. Sarah got into her bed, but couldn't sleep. Despite what she'd told Hoggle, she was nervous about the possibility of being face to face with Jareth again. Would he be upset? Would he be happy? Or, worst of all, would he not care? With these thoughts in her head, she drifted off into a restless sleep.


	4. Blast from the Past

**A.N.-** Yay, an update is finally done! I was supposed to have this done last weekend, but life got in the way. Oh well, at least it's up lol. Enjoy!

Blast from the Past

The next day, Sarah got up early and plucked the pheasants out of her ice box. She took them outside on a wooden table she'd bought specifically for cutting up her meat, making sure to save anything edible. Once she'd cleaned up the mess, she took her bird pieces inside to wash them off. She wasn't sure how pheasant tasted, she'd never had it before, so she took a small piece of the meat and fried it up real quick, letting it cool down then plopping it into her mouth. Her lips screwed up in irritation as she realized that the meat was very dry. Still, the flavor was similar enough to chicken that she thought she could work with it. She would just have to make sure that she kept the bird pieces moist throughout the cooking process. First, though, she would have to go hunting for some more game. There was no way she was going to make any amount of coin with two birds. She lucked out this time and was able to get four more pheasants and three ducks. She spent the rest of the day cleaning the birds at home. Hoggle didn't show up that evening, which was fine with her, since she had to figure out what her next step would be.

The following morning, she took her plucked birds to the market and got to work. She cut up the fowl into pieces similar to chicken fingers or large nuggets, setting the giblets aside. She had decided that the best way to cook the meat would be to do a traditional fry, so she gathered all her ingredients up, separating them into bowls. Then she cut up potatoes into long slices so she could fry those up as well. It didn't take long for her bird nuggets to cook, so she had to set the cooked meat in a large bowl while she finished the french fries. Once everything was done, she portioned everything out as equally as she could into bowls which had parchment in them to catch the grease. Now, what price should she sell these at? If she went too cheaply, she wouldn't make much of a profit, but she didn't want to over price either. She finally settled on five coins per dish, figuring that she could always adjust later if necessary. It didn't take long for some goblins to come over to her stall.

"Smells good, but what is it?" one asked.

Sarah smiled, replying, "Why don't you try it? If you don't like it, I'll give you back your coins."

The goblins seemed excited at this prospect and all purchased a bowl. Soon, there were exclamations of how good her food was and the goblins all took off with their meal. Sarah was satisfied by the fact that she had had a few customers at least, which is why she was utterly shocked when a crowd of goblins came to buy her fried nuggets. Apparently word of mouth was quick to spread, and Sarah had more business than she had food. She went home happy and dizzy. "I'm going to have to get a lot more food," she proclaimed to Leonardo.

The rest of the week, Sarah was busy both hunting and selling the food she cooked. Hoggle came over a couple of times, but was otherwise busy as well. The season was turning to Spring, and those who could afford to rent booths were scurrying to do so before none were left. Spring and Summer were the seasons when the Goblin Market was the busiest. So far, Sarah hadn't seen the Goblin King at all, but she'd heard from the other vendors that he'd come and gone daily during the time of day when she was typically in the forest. She began to think that she might not meet him at all, or at least not for a while, and so her nerves were more relaxed about the thought.

It was the end of the week, and she had made plans to have Ludo and Sir Didymus over, with Hoggle's help. Since there was a light drizzle, and the sky was overcast, she'd made a huge pot of chicken and dumplings. The crowd was particularly large that day, considering the weather, but it appeared that other food vendors had also made several varieties of soup, stew, and roasted chicken. The cacaphony of voices suddenly went silent, and Sarah wondered why when her question was answered for her.

"A mortal vendor, how curious," came the voice.

Sarah found herself involuntarily jerking up to meet his gaze and her breath was stolen from her. His long overcoat did nothing to hide the muscled arms, or the lean torso. The trousers were as snug as ever and this time, she couldn't help but glance at what was so obviously displayed. As the heat crept over her cheeks, she made herself look back up to his face. She was expecting a smirk and a sarcastic remark for her ogling, but his expression was closed, perhaps even guarded. And it seemed he was waiting for a response. _Crap. Ok, ok, I can do this,_ she told herself. She bowed as much as the booth allowed her to and said, "Your Majesty, you honor me by coming to my booth." A flicker of emotion passed over his face, but it was gone before she could put a name to it.

Jareth was pondering what to say to her. _What is she doing here, anyway? She shouldn't have had to come for several more years yet. I see now what Labyrinth has been hiding from me. I will have words with him later about this. How can she still be so beautiful to me, after all she put me through?_ "Lady Sarah, I must admit that I wasn't expecting your residence in my kingdom so soon. Usually, I myself bring over the mortals who are to become citizens. You were not due to arrive for some time."

Sarah blinked, shocked at the statement. "Wait, what do you mean, that I-I could have stayed in my own home longer? Labyrinth said that I would die if I stayed any longer. Was he lying?" She felt moisture accumulate in her eyes, but refused to cry...not in front of _him_.

A grimace stole over Jareth's lips. What game was the Labyrinth playing at this time? "No, he was not lying. You certainly wouldn't have lived longer than five more mortal years Aboveground. I would have approached you when you could make the decision with a bit more experience and maturity behind you. Now you have lost the chance to go back, unless you gain some amount of magic for yourself." There was another option she could have, if she wished to visit the Above, but he thought it best not to mention it for now. He could see she was upset, and he found himself wanting to comfort her, despite his intent to distance himself emotionally from her.

Sarah swallowed her sorrow. What's done was done, and there was nothing she could do about it now. "Thank you, for letting me know the truth. I know you don't owe me anything." He merely stood there, not saying anything and she fidgeted uncomfortably. Unable to stand the feeling any more, she blurted out, "I actually was afraid that you might be upset with me, for winning my brother back."

Jareth's jaw twitched slightly. "Upset with you? No, I was...surprised at the outcome. No one has beaten me at my own game before." _Not to mention I was heartbroken at your refusal of me._ "Congratulations by the way. Though I am sorry that you still had to come live here. That wasn't intentional."

"Oh, well thank you." She wasn't sure what else to say, the tension was thick and stifling, so she held out a bowl to him. "Would you like some complimentary soup?"

He seemed amused by this as he asked, "Are you making any coin by handing out free food?"

She blushed but recovered quickly. "I'm not giving out free food. I'm offering my King a taste of my cooking." His gaze sharpened at her use of words, and she felt the heat return, in other areas of her body as well as her face.

This time he did smirk as he took the offered bowl. He lifted the spoon to his mouth, keeping his eyes on her as he slowly sipped at it. She watched, mesmerized, as she caught a glimpse of his tongue darting out to lap up a bit of the juices. Suddenly, she was squirming in a different type of uncomfortableness altogether. "That is quite good," he said, snapping her out of her trance. His eyes danced mischievously, as if he could tell where her train of thoughts had gone. _Perhaps I can win her over yet,_ he grinned to himself as he saw the reaction he was getting out of her. Regretfully, her responses were making _him_ aroused as well. He needed to leave before he did something so foolish as to proposition her.

"Thank you, Majesty, I'm glad you enjoyed your meal."

"Well, I'm afraid I must be going now. There are other matters to attend to at the moment, and I've lingered too long as it is. Thank you, Lady Sarah, for your generosity. I wish you luck in your endeavors to survive in my kingdom." With that, he was gone in a flash, with a trace of glitter the only sign that he was ever there.

Sarah found herself gaping in his absence. She'd heard the term "hot and bothered" before, but had never experienced it...until now. She still had soup over the fire, though, and the line of customers was reorganizing in front of her. She forced all thoughts of the Goblin King from her mind so that she could finish out her work day.

Later that night, Hoggle had come over and was informing her that Sir Diymus would be a bit tardy, but that he would definitely show up. Sarah was doing her best to keep up with the conversation, but found her mind still conjuring up images of her encounter with Jareth earlier. "Sarah. Sarah!" came Hoggle's voice, bringing her back to the present. Her friend had an irritated look as he accused, "You haven't even been listening to me!"

"I'm sorry, Hoggle," she apologized sheepishly. "It's just that the King showed up to my booth today, and it kind of threw me for a loop." _That's one way of putting it mildly._

"What? And you didn't say anything?! Well, what happened then? He wasn't mean to you, was he?"

Sarah laughed at the barage of questions. "No, he wasn't mean. He was actually very...cordial."

"Oh, well, that's good then. Now can we forget about the rat? We have a lot to plan for tomorrow."

"Of course," she replied. Inside, however, she thought, _Forget him? I don't think that will ever be possible._

Hoggle came back over early in the morning to help Sarah make preparations for the rest of their friends. The Goblin Market was open every day, but no one was allowed to rent booths on the weekends. Sarah had made enough of a profit so far that she wasn't worried about not selling on one day. Ludo was the first to arrive, with a loud, "Sawah!" and huge hug, which she returned. Sarah had laid out snacks for everyone that consisted of an assortment of fruits and vegetables, with dips to go with them. She had started grilling chicken on the barbeque, something she was surprised to find in the Underground but had bought instantly, when Sir Didymus and Ambrosius showed up. The three friends were soon caught up and laughing, while Leonardo and Ambrosius wrestled together. Just as dinner was about done, there was a knock on Sarah's door.

"Who else are you expecting?" Hoggle asked.

"No one," Sarah replied, surprised. She excused herself to answer the door. She was once again shocked to find one Goblin King standing on the other side, with a boquet of blue orchids. So shocked was she that she exclaimed without thinking, "Jareth! How did you know where I lived?"

It was his turn to be stunned, as his eyes went wide at her informality. _She knows my name,_ he thought giddily. He quickly schooled his features though, and bowed slightly, "Don't be so surprised, Sarah, I know where all my citizens reside. Here, I thought you might enjoy displaying these in your house."  
"Thank you, they're beautiful." She was about to invite him in, when Hoggle called out from the kitchen.

"Who was it, Sarah? I think your chicken is done and Ludo is complaining of being hungry."

Jareth's features darkened slightly, and his voice turned cold. "You seem to have company over. I should have known."

Sarah frowned. "Not that I have to explain myself, but I haven't seen Ludo or Sir Didymus since I came back here. Hoggle was kind enough to bring them here for me."

"Of course," he replied snidely, "I'm merely the villainous King who stole your brother, right? I apologize for disturbing you, Lady Sarah, it won't happen again." Again, he was gone in a flash, leaving Sarah stunned.

 _What the hell just happened?!_ Her eyes held the moisture of tears, but anger swelled in her chest. _How dare he?!_ With a sudden focus, she turned to Hoggle, saying, "I'm sorry, Hoggle, but I have to go now. You all don't have to leave, but there's something I must do."

"Um, ok Sarah. Are you alright?"

"I'm just fine," she answered throught gritted teeth. _Time to confront His Majesty._


	5. Shakespeare Might Have Been Onto Somethi

**A.N.-** I've updated, finally lol. I've never used quotes for any of my chapters before, but it seemed appropriate now. If Jareth and Sarah were portraying any of Shakespeare's characters, I think Benedict and Beatrice would be at the top. I'm debating whether to up the rating on this story, since there's some sexual overtones, but I guess that will depend on if the trend continues. Thanks to all who have been following so far!

Shakespeare Might Have Been Onto Something

"For which of my bad parts didst thou first fall in love with me?" - William Shakespeare, _Much Ado About Nothing_

Sarah stood outside the throne room, fuming. The goblin guards weren't letting her in, despite the fact that she'd claimed it was an urgent matter. They'd simply said it was past the time when the king was receiving petitions. She'd argued with them, but they weren't budging, even when she promised them treats. It was then that she realized something; the king wasn't even IN the throne room. These goblins were a diversion. So, she pretended that she'd given up, telling the goblins she would return in the morning. As soon as she was out of sight, she slipped into a side hallway, and began to search for Jareth. She imagined that he, being a vain man, would have the best room in the castle, and probably it would be on the top floor. She climbed stairs fot what felt like an hour, until she reached a small hallway with two doors. One set of doors was wider than the other. She marched straight up to them and while common sense was trying to tell her to knock first, she ignored her instincts and manners to let herself in. The room was dark, save a sliver of moonlight which shown on a massive bed where it was obvious a figure was currently on.

Sarah gulped, suddenly wondering if this was a bad idea. Would she be bogged for coming in without permission? But the anger came back and stole her reason. She strode up to the bed and said loudly, "I didn't think a king would resort to hiding after such a childish display of bad manners!"

She didn't know what she expected, but it certainly wasn't the swiftness Jareth displayed when he whipped the sheets up, grabbed her in his arms, and drug her into the bed with him. Sarah was aware of two things at once, as her anger fizzled into new emotions. One, she was trapped in the arms of a magical being. Two, said arms were devoid of any clothing...as was the rest of him. She wasn't sure if she was thankful for the darkness rendering her blind of the sight of him or not, but she could feel the muscles on his chest and his heartbeat quickening under her touch. "Why Sarah, if I'd known you'd go to such tactics just to get into my room, I'd hide from you constantly," he crooned.

His breath so close to her was causing a strange reaction within her, making heat pool in her belly. She fought her inner self, allowing some of the anger to return. "You're avoiding me," she accused him. "And after that display at my house, I'm not sure I'm entirely willing to forgive you. You wmbarrassed me in front of my friends, for no reason other than you felt put out that I had people over!" She started to wiggle, in order to free herself from his grasp.

"I would stop squirming, if I were you, Precious. Unless you want to become more intimate."

She had no idea what he was talking about, until she felt something hard and warm pressing against her thigh. Instantly, she stiffened, yet at the same time, her heart was going a mile a minute. She'd never been this close to a man before, and certainly had never been in bed with one. She understood the semantics, of course, having been subjected to Sex Ed in school, and had even been given "The Talk" by her father and Karen (an excruciating experience). But the reality was something far different, and added to that, the fact that Jareth was so much more than a regular man, her body was starting to go haywire. Out of panic, she said, "You're ignoring my complaint!"

He huffed, part in annoyance, part in amusement, as he realized it was too soon for him to press his suit. He let her go and answered, "I apologize, for acting in such a way and distressing you to the point that you had to seek me out. I was simply wishing to spend time with you alone, to get to know you better."

"Annnd?" She prompted, getting out of the bed, putting some distance between her and the naked Goblin King.

"And, I may have been too hasty, letting my emotions get the better of me. However, I still don't like Higgle being at your house."

"Hoggle. And why do you hate him so much? I thought he was your advisor before switching to Head of Market."

"You kissed him," Jareth responded without hesitation, a pout in his voice.

Unbidden, a laugh erupted from Sarah. "Seriously, that's why you practically tossed us into the bog?!" Even in the dark, she could see his scowl, so she forced herself to calm down. "Look, it didn't mean I wanted to date him or anything. I mean, I can't even imagine-," she shook her head, trying to rid herself of unwanted images. "The point is, you were acting like a complete jerk most of the time while I was running your Labyrinth. Do you not know how to treat a woman or something?"

"I assure you, I know how to please a woman," he purred. "I had to follow the rules with you, and the rules wouldn't let me 'break character', you could say. You wanted a villain you had to vanquish, and I gave that to you."

"Well, I'm not expecting you to be a villain now, so I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't act like one."

"I will do my best, Precious. Now, you'd better run back home, before I change my mind and show you just what villainous ideas I can enact upon you."

The cowardly side of her was urging her to run, but she had never backed down from a challenge before. "By the way, I'd like to invite you to dinner this week, when you're free. Just send a message the day beforehand so I can prepare, please." With that, she bent down and kissed his cheek, then skurried out before he could react.

Once back home, she entered to find her friends still there, thankfully. "I'm really sorry, guys. I'll make it up to you by announcing that we can stay up as late as you want."

Her friends glanced at each other, then Sir Didymus asked, "I'm confused, my Lady. When you left, you seemed quite upset. Yet, you return with a smile on your face. What happened?"

"Someone was acting like a fool, and I was able to get my point across to them, is all."

"These were dropped off shortly before you got back, very mysreriouslu, I might add," Hoggle said, suspicion in his voice.

Sarah saw the orchids Jareth had held in his hand earlier. Curious, she went over to look at them, and spotted a card hidden in the stems. Opening it, she read, _Very clever, Precious. Rest assured, you won't be able to get away so quickly next time. I'll be over for dinner as you requested two nights from now. Better prepare yourself. - Jareth_

Sarah's smile grew. This would prove interesting indeed.


End file.
